What changes are happening with Gmail deliverability, especially regarding spam filtering and industry targeting?

Email marketer from EmailToolTester explains that certain words and phrases can trigger Gmail's spam filters. They provide a list of common spam trigger words to avoid, such as "free," "guarantee," and "urgent." They recommend using a spam checker tool to identify and remove potential spam triggers from your emails.

Marketer from Email Geeks asks if others are noticing new things with Gmail deliverability, specifically if Gmail seems quicker to block and route to spam.

Email marketer from Sender.net shares that Gmail is becoming more sophisticated at detecting spam and phishing attempts. They suggest that senders personalize their emails and segment their audiences to improve engagement and avoid being flagged as spam. They mention the importance of maintaining a clean email list by removing inactive subscribers.

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that Gmail's increased focus on user experience has led to stricter spam filtering. They advise senders to authenticate their emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to prove their legitimacy. They add that monitoring sender reputation is crucial, as a poor reputation can result in emails being flagged as spam.

Email marketer from GMass explains that personalizing emails with recipient-specific information can significantly improve deliverability. They recommend using merge tags to personalize the subject line, body, and sender name. They highlight that Gmail is more likely to flag emails that appear generic or impersonal as spam.

Email marketer from SendGrid shares deliverability best practices including warming up IP addresses, segmenting recipient lists, personalizing email content, and monitoring key deliverability metrics like bounce and complaint rates. They also emphasize consistent content and volume.

Email marketer from Reddit user /EmailExpert123 shares their experience that Gmail's spam filters have become more aggressive at identifying promotional emails. They suggest using a dedicated IP address and avoiding sending large volumes of emails from shared IPs to improve deliverability. They recommend monitoring bounce rates and unsubscribe rates to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that Gmail appears to be scrutinizing emails from certain industries more closely, such as finance and healthcare. They suggest that senders in these industries focus on building trust with their recipients by providing transparent information and adhering to industry regulations. They recommend using a double opt-in process to ensure that recipients genuinely want to receive their emails.

Marketer from Email Geeks indicates that while they haven't noticed anything specific to Gmail, they are hearing Google is changing 'things,' citing issues with Google Apps and changes to SEO rules and videos, suggesting something broader might be happening at Google.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares an observation about Gmail, noting that several senders (mostly in dating/gambling) experienced blocks on free Gmail accounts around December 10th and 12th, though some were unblocked quickly. This suggests Gmail might be evolving its filtering, possibly with a tighter focus on specific industries. Dmytro is concerned about potential side effects and hopes good senders won't be affected.

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog explains that Gmail's algorithm updates frequently to combat spam. He shares that Gmail prioritizes user engagement, so senders should focus on sending valuable content that recipients want to open and interact with. He highlights that Gmail may be getting stricter on senders with low engagement rates.

Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that Gmail is increasingly focusing on sender reputation and engagement metrics. Senders with low engagement and high complaint rates are more likely to experience deliverability issues, regardless of industry. Gmail continuously refines its algorithms based on user feedback and behavioral data, so maintaining a positive sender reputation is critical.

Expert from Spamresource emphasizes that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical to Gmail deliverability. They also outline the importance of following best practices such as managing subscriber lists, maintaining low complaint rates and monitoring deliverability issues.

Documentation from Litmus explains the importance of implementing email authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability. It states that these protocols help to verify the authenticity of emails and prevent spoofing. Litmus provides resources and tools to help senders implement these protocols correctly.

Documentation from DMARC.org explains that Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication protocol that builds upon SPF and DKIM. It allows senders to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail authentication checks. Implementing DMARC can significantly improve email deliverability and prevent phishing attacks.

Documentation from Google Support outlines best practices for bulk email senders. It states that senders should authenticate their emails, provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe, and monitor their sender reputation. The documentation mentions that Gmail uses user feedback to improve its spam filtering algorithms.

Documentation from MXToolbox explains the importance of monitoring email blacklists to ensure that your IP address is not listed. It states that being listed on a blacklist can significantly harm your email deliverability. MXToolbox provides tools to check your IP address against various blacklists and alerts you if it is listed.

Documentation from RFC explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method used to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. It is essential for senders to create SPF records to improve email deliverability and protect their brand reputation. Gmail uses SPF records to verify the legitimacy of incoming emails.